Mike Tomlin has never expressed interest in making the move from head coach to the broadcast booth. But it won’t stop people from talking about it. And one notable figure just spoke highly of Tomlin’s ability to replace his coaching hat with an analyst one.
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus believes Tomlin would have a great career commenting on games as opposed to coaching them. Appearing on the The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, McManus praised Tomlin.
“I’ve always thought Mike Tomlin, if he ever wanted to do it, would be terrific,” McManus told the show, as transcribed by Awful Announcing’s Sam Neumann.
Though his name has been floated a handful of times, Tomlin has always downplayed any desire to have a media career. This July, he flatly denied having interest.
“I just really don’t have a strong desire to evaluate my peers in that way, to participate in the game in that way”, he told Rich Eisen this summer. “I respect it and I appreciate it. I think our fans need it. I think it’s very helpful to us in terms of bridging the gap between what we do and helping our fans appreciate it. It’s just not my area of expertise or desire. I like to get my nails a little bit more dirty.”
It’s a consistent message he’s shared in recent years. But the talk about people like Tomlin making a switch has increased given the steady flow of former coaches and players making the transition from coaching and playing to analyzing those who coach and play. In his sabbatical year, Sean Payton became an analyst for FOX. Tony Dungy has long been part of the Football Night In America crew. And Steelers fans know well the jump Bill Cowher made, stepping down as Steelers’ head coach and becoming an analyst for CBS Sports, a position he’s held since 2007.
McManus also named Los Angeles Rams’ head coach Sean McVay as someone capable of making the switch. His name has been most popular over the past year, especially as he mulled stepping down from the Rams over burnout concerns. He ultimately decided to remain with the team.
The draw of Tomlin is obvious. Someone who is confident and in control with a microphone in his face, his “Tomlinisms” have become a fixture of his press conferences, especially after games. He’s well-known and well-respected by the football community and would be a headline name for any media company to market.
But he’s also said his plan is to coach football, something he’s been doing for nearly 30 years. The only reason it’s notable to talk about again is a prominent media name like McManus floating it out there coupled with the Steelers’ struggles that, for the first time, have some in the media wondering how much longer he’ll be the head coach in Pittsburgh.
Of course, if the Steelers were to ever part ways with him, something that still looks unlikely, he’d have a dozen coaching jobs offered to him immediately. The only way he gets into the broadcast booth is if he actively chooses to, if he decides he no longer wants to coach, and that doesn’t seem to be in his DNA.
